To His Approued Friend Poem by Humfrey Gifford

Serue God
thy Lord, delight to keepe his lawes.

Alwayes
, haue care to doe his holy hest.

Commit
not that which may his anger cause.

No euill
, then (deere friend) can thee molest.

Still feare
and minde the dreadfull iudgement day.

To sinne
, breedes death, but mercie doe require,

Defie
such thinges, as worke thy soules decay;

The diuel
, so shall leese his chiefe desire.

If thou
, wilt spend thy dayes in great content.

Praise God
, ech houre, serue him in feare and dread,

With heart
contrite thy former sinnes lament.

And minde
, henceforth a better life to lead

Great ioyes
the Lord (as his pure word doth say)

In heauen
, aboue, for good men hath preparde,

Thy soule
when that this life shall passe away,

Shall finde
such blisse, as cannot bee declarde.